FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Laurie Davison
Marketing and Communications
(613) 277-2980
Ottawa to host first national wheelchair marathon championships
MARCH 9, 2006 – Ottawa, ON – ING Ottawa Marathon organizers today announced
that Athletics Canada’s first Canadian Wheelchair Marathon Championships
will be held during the Ottawa Race Weekend, on Sunday, May 28, 2006.
Already, Jeff Adams, a two-time Olympian and five-time Paralympian has
confirmed his participation.
"Holding events for all athletes is something incredibly important for our
organization," says John Halvorsen, Race Director for the ING Ottawa
Marathon. "With the generous support of our title sponsor ING, and the help
of a new partnership with Pfizer, we are making a long-term investment to
make this a wheelchair event with no equal in Canada."
ING Ottawa Marathon organizers consulted Athletics Canada and the wheelchair
athlete community in planning the new event and prize structure. Athletes
will compete in two divisions, the open division and the quadriplegic
division, with a combined prize structure of $13,500. There will also be
resources allotted to bringing Canada’s top wheelchair athletes to the
competition.
"I really appreciate this commitment to building this event over time and in
the right way," commented Jeff Adams. "I have competed all over the world,
and I can't tell you how exciting it is to finally have a world-class event
to compete in right here at home."
Chantal Petitclerc, known world-wide for her accomplishments in wheelchair
racing, including 16 Paralympic medals, one Olympic medal and two world
records, praised organizers for their vision and commitment to Canadian
wheelchair athletes.
"I am so proud to see that Canada is now going to have a world-class
wheelchair marathon event," said Petitclerc. "It's great timing for this to
happen. Canadian wheelchair athletes are getting more international
recognition and now we’ll have a Canadian race to showcase that talent."
"Staging the inaugural wheelchair championship here in Ottawa, where the
Canadian Marathon Championships are already held, is a great opportunity to
include all athletes into one great weekend," added Scott Ogilvie, Director
of Paralympic Programs at Athletics Canada. "The fact that there is a
strong and genuine commitment from the race organizers to make the
wheelchair event a success really speaks to their dedication to building the
sport in partnership with Athletics Canada."
The ING Ottawa Marathon, the feature event of the Ottawa Race Weekend, is
set to take place on Sunday, May 28th.
About the Ottawa Race Weekend
The Ottawa Race Weekend, Canada's premier running festival, combines
competition, participation and fundraising to make a distinctive
contribution to the health of the community. The event has over 30,000
participants in nine races, including the ING Ottawa Marathon and the MDS
Nordion 10K. It is run by a volunteer Board of Directors. This year, the
Race Weekend is scheduled for May 26-28.
About Athletics Canada
Athletics Canada is the national sport governing body for the sport of track
and field including cross-country running and road running. Its purpose is
the pursuit of leadership, development and competition that ensures
world-level performance in athletics. The association believes in physical
health and fitness, individual excellence and personal growth, individual
development beyond sport, as well as inclusiveness and integrity. Track and
field is a sport for people of all ages and abilities.
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